Blah

Monday, December 28, 2009

100 Records That Shook The World, #91

I Got A Woman

Ray Charles

In an Atlanta studio in late 1954, Ray Charles set the blueprint for the offshoot of R'n'B music which would become known as Soul (after Charles' later hit, What'd I Say).

Ray was on the road with his band and listening to the radio when he heard a gospel hymn called "Jesus Is All The World To Me". Using this as a starting point, he and trumpeter Renald Richard penned the song by changing the lyrics and using a jazzy rhythm and blues beat. The result was to become iconic.

It hit #1, Ray's first, in January of '55. It was the first of many. Rolling Stone ranked it #235 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. Enjoy.